Connecting mechanism



Oct. 13,1925- 15 8 8 F. 'J. HARDMAN commune MECHANISM 'Filed July 28, 1919 2 SheeLs-Sheet 1 Oct 13,1925. 1,556,988 F. J. HARDMAN CONNECTING mcmnls M Filed July 28 19 19 2 sheets-she'd 2- Patented Oct. 1 3,1 925. I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. H DMAN, F.DAYTON,'0H10,- Assreinon TO THE nAYTon ENGINEER- me LABORATORIES COMPANY, or DAYTON, oHIo, -A coRroBA'rIonf or omo.

connnorme MEcnaNIsM. Application i na m 28, 19 16: g Serial No 313,116. To allivh'omit may cont-em." enmeshmentof "the'gears may be efiected .Beltkiiown that I, FREDERICK J. HARD- without requiring the operation of the iZen, of the United States of starting device. .residing at Dayton, county of Further objects and advantages of the I State of Ohio, have invented resent invention will be apparent from the 00 come this difiiculty, devices have been pr "minnowand useful Improvementsin ollowing description, reference being had v echanism, of which the fol-, to the accom anying drawings, wherein a fiill,.clear, and exact description. preferred em odiment ofthe present. in-

lmvingJ This inventionrelates to mechanisms for vention is clearly shown. connectinga. rotatable device with a gear In the drawings: 06 which is normally disconnected from the Fig. .1 is a side elevation of an internalrotatable device. This invention is parcombustion engine to'which a starting de- U ticularlyadapted for use in connecting an vice embodying the present invention is I electric motor. with the fly Wheel gear or applied, said starting device being shown in 16 other gear in an internal combustion engine section;

in order to start the engine. Fig. 2 a sectional view taken on line ln starting devices of this character, 2-2 of F 1g. l; A wherejgearing connections are effected be: Fig. 3 1s a w1r1ng diagram of the motor foretlie starting device operates to crank included in the starting device; the engine, it is generally the practice .to. Fig. 4 is a lon itudinal sectional view on 76 provide1a-'manually operable device for an enlarged sca e of the gearing conneceffecting the engagement'of. gearing be-" 'jtlons between the start1ng motor and the tween the starting device and engine;{and f engme shown in Fig. 1;

for causing the starting device to operate-f" Fig. 5 1s a sectionalview of certain parts i 2:) Difliculty has been experienced .in the past taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; due to the fact that the starting device may Pig. 6 a sectional view taken on line begin to operate before the gearing "con? of F g. 4; nections are fully made, sometimefsire sull r. L l a sgctionalview taken on line ing in damage to the gear teeth?" 'fihis'fres 7.7- 0 gf .30 ntl ha ns when the g ars- 12mg not In the raw1ng s an internal-combustion in enineshlng alignment when" hey l re engine 20 is provided with a fly wheel 21' brought intoengagement. In orderrto over; having a fly wheel gear 22. This engine 20 yis of the automobile t pe, and 23' indicates videdwhich effect an initial movementj of, the floor board of t e automobile. The 3 certain of the gearing through initiflf mnk case-'24 of. the engine 20 isprovidedoo operation of' the starting device in' orden"with an annular flan e which surrounds an to bring the gears into enmeshing alig aferture 26 into wh1ch.projects a portion ment. --f o yjthe starting device designated as a whole It is one of the objects of the present-*"bynumeral 30.

40 invention to connect the starting device '.The starter 3 0 comprises a gear housing with the engine manually no matter What" 31- which is secured to the flange 25in any the position of the connecting gearing maysuitable manner as by 'meansof'bolts not be before the starting device is operated; .Isho wn. To this, housing 31 is secured a and then, afterthe connecting gears are in ;motor end frame 32 by means of bolts 33. substantially full engagement, to cause the To end frame 32 is secured in any suitable starting device to operate. One manner of manner a motor field shell 34 which in turn carrying out this object is to provide a supports a motorend frame 35. End manually operated device which will shift "frames 32 and 35 carry bearings 36 and 37, a gear associated with the starting device respectively, upon which is- 1ournal1ed a 50 into engagement with a gear connected with motor armature shaft 38. Shaft 38 carries the engine; and which will operate in case 'armaturel39 commutator 40 and gear 41. the gears collide with one another and pre- ,As' indicated by the wiring diagram ventenmeshment, to effect rotation of the shown inFig. 3, the field shell 34 supports gear of the starting device to bring it into .four'pole pieces 42, two of which are shown.

u g t at n W t he engm g so t at ie F gand up n ea h of these pole Brushes 46 and 47 are mounted upon brush arms 50 and 51 respectively which are 'pivotally mounted upon studs 52 and 53, respectively, carried by the end frame 35. Springs 54 and 55 yieldingly urge the brushes 46 and 47 against the commutator 40.- Brushes 48- and 49 are mounted upon brush arms 56 and 57, respectively, which are pivotally mounted upon studs 58 and 59, respectively, carried by the end frame 35.

Brush arm 56 is provided with a lug 60 adapted to be engaged by a plunger 61 slidably supported by the end frame 35. The position of the plunger 61 is controlled by a brush shifting bar 62 having a retaining edge 63 normally in engagement with the plunger 61 at the bottom of a notch 64 provided therein, Upward movement of the bar 62 is restrained by a pin 65 carried by the end frame 35. When the bar 62 is in the position shown in the drawings, the brush 48 will be maintained in the position shown in Fig. 2. a

The brush arm 56 is providedwith a lug which engages a brush camming plate 71 which is mounted to rotate about the axis of shaft 38. The camming plate-71 is arranged to engage a lug 72 provided on the brush arm 57- It is therefore apparent that when the brush 48 is in the position shown, the

7 brush'49 will be maintained out of engagement with commutator 40 by reason of the mechanical connections just described. The bar 62 is arranged to be shifted, by means to be described, in such a manner as to release the plunger 61 whereupon the brushes 48 and 49 will be permitted to be brought into engagement with the commutator 40 through the action of springs .66 and 67, respectively.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, in which the gearing connectlons between the starting motor and engine gear are' shown in section,

it will be seen that the gear 41 engages a ring gear provided. with a bushing 81 which is constructed to rotate about a clutch element 82 which is keyed to a shaft 83. Shaft 83 is journalled upon bearings 84 and 85 carried by end frame 32 and housing 31, respectively. The clutch member 82 is cut away to provide notches 86 in which are located rollers 87 which are normally pressed against bushing 81 by spring pressed plungers 88 which are slidably supported'by clutch element 8.2. Rollers 87 are maintained in position. by retaining plates 89 secured by means of screws 90 upon the clutch element 82. It is apparent that the clutch element 82 will be driven by the ring gear 80 when "said gear rotates in the direction of the arrow 91.

Theshaft 83 is splined for a portion of its length as indicated by numeral 92, to provide sliding driving engagement with a broached pinion 93.

A sleeve is slidably mounted upon the shaft 83 and is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed spiral slots 101 and 102;

A collar 103 is slidable upon the sleeve 100 and supports screws 104 and 105 havingends -which project into slots 101 and 102,'respectively A shifting lever 106 which is pivotally mounted at 107 upon the housing 31 is bifurcated to provide arms 108 and 109 which are slotted to provide for the projection therethrough 'of screws 104 and 105. The collar 103 is normally maintained in position by a'nut 110 secured to the sleeve 100, and by a spring 111 which bears at one end against a plainwasher 112 and at the other end against a cup-shaped washer 113. lVasher 113-bears against the flanged end 114 of the sleeve 100, and the periphery of said washer 113 is shaped to provide a flange 115 for the purpose to be described.

The periphery of the flange 114 is cut away to provide notches 116 in which are located rollers 117 which are arranged to i provide driving connections between the sleeve 100 and a cup-shaped clutch element 118 carried by pinion 93, when said flange 114 rotates in thedirection of arrow 119 (see Fig. -7 The flange 115 of washer 113 extends around clutch element 118 and engages with a surface thereof adjacent the pinion 93. It is apparent, therefore, that the washer 113 provides a'retainer'for the rollers 117. and a housing for the clutch element 118 and the-clutch element provided on sleeve 100. A connection is" provided between-pinion 93 and sleeve 100 by the interlocking connection of members 113 and 118.

At the upper end of lever 106 is attached the brush shifting bar 62 and afpushrod or pedal 130 provided. at its upperendwith a head 131. The floor board 23f1supports a cup-shaped bushing 133 through whichthe pedal 130 slides; and a spring 132 inter-- posed between said bushing 133 and the head" 131 serves to maintain the shifting lever 106 normally in the position shown inthedraw enmeshing alignment with thetooth-spaces of fly wheel gear 22, the depression of pedal 130 will cause pinion 93 ,to slide directly into engagement with the fly wheel gear 22.

After the engagement of pinion 93 and gear 22 has taken place, further depression of pedal 130 will cause the shifting bar 62 to be shifted far enough to move retaining edge 63 out of the plunger notch 64, so as to permit brushes 48 and 19 to come into engagement with the commutator 410. At this instant the connection between the motor and battery 44; will be completed and the motor will operate to start the engine.

But incase the pinion 93 collides with the faces of cert-ai'nflof the teeth of gear 22 when the pedal 130 is depressed, the sleeve 100 cannotthen be moved further to the right as viewed in. Fig. 4. The further downward movement of pedal 130 will cause relative movement between collar 103 and sleeve-100 whereupon sleeve 100 will be of the cooperation of screws 104 and 105'.

with the, spiralslots 101 and 102. v Rotation of sleeve 100 will cause pinion 93 to be rotated by virtue of the one-way clutch connection between the sleeve 100 and the pin-"- Pinion' 93 will thereupon be brought into enmeshing alignment with the -fly wheel gear 22. The said movement of collar 103 relatively to sleeve 100 will cause ion 93.

a compression of spring 111 beyond itsin itial stage of compression, whereupon whe pinion 93 is brought into enmeshing ali' ment with gear 22 in the manner de'sef 'e said pinion 93 will be quickly snappe'dgmto engagement with gear 22 upon the release of A I v .device-"and:a1dapted to be shifted into enwill cause pinion 93 to be shifted into full' engagement with gear-22 and still further? movement of pedal 130 will effect the con nection of the motor with the battery in the sprmg 111. Further movement of pedal f13O manner described. 1 y

In order to facilitate the-enmeshing of with the tooth space of the fly wheel gear 22. It is also apparent that pinion 93 may be rotated manually without turning the motor shaft 38 by reason of the one-way clutch connection bet-ween shafts 38 and 83.

Thisfeature of the invention is advantageous since it requiresless foot pressure upon pedal 130, to efi'ect the manual turning of shaft 83 and members mounted-thereon, than would be required if this one-way clutch connection were not provided.

complete engagement ofthe gear between the startingdevice and the engine before the starting device is caused to operate? to crank the engine. Therefore, all possibility of stripping the teeth of either'the pinion of the fly wheel is entirely eliminated.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within scope of the claims which follow.'

What I claim is as follow:

1. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a pinion slidably connected with said device; and'adapted to be shifted into engagementwith the gear; of manually operable means for shifting said pinion into engagement with the gear, said manual means lncluding PI'OVlSlOIlS wh1ch operate in case the pinion collides with the gear to protion with the: gear, said manual means permitting said pinion to operate independent- 13: thereof said pinion is drivmg said 1 2.; Ina meclianism for connecting a rotat able'device-with a gear, the combination with a pinion v slidably connected with said gagem'ent withthe gear; of manually operab e means'for' shifting said pinion into 'engagement with the gear, said manual means 'including provisions which operate in case the pinion collides with the gear to produce rotation of said pinion while said pinion is pressed against the engine' whereby said pinion will be brought into enmeshing relation .pinion'. splined thereto, and shiftable into engagement with said gear; of; manual means for shifting said pinion into engagementwith said gear, said means-including provisions which operate in case the pinion collides with the gear to produce rotation of said pinion while said pinion is pressed H against. the gear whereby said pinion will be brought into enmeshing relation with said gear.

4.-.- In a mechanism for connecting a ro-- tatable device with a gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a pinion splined thereto, and shift-able into engagement with said gear; of manual means for shifting said pinion-into'engagement with said gear, said means including provisions for rotating said pinion while pressing said pinion-against said gear with yielding. pressure in case the pinion collides with the'gear before going into mesh.

5. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a pinion splined thereto, and shiftable into engagement with-said gear; of a rotatable and axially movable member connected with the pinion; -a clutch for imparting rotary movementfrom said member to said pinion in one direction; and manual means. for axially'moving said rotatable'member and for rotating. the samein case the'pinion col-- lides with the gear.

6. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable devicewith a gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a pinion splined thereto, and shiftable into engagement with said gear; of a rotatable and axially movable member connected with the pinion: a clutch for imparting rotary movement from said member to said pinion in one direction; and manual means for axially moving said rotatable member and for rotating the same in case the pinion collides with the gear. said manual means including a spring which is compressed during rotationof the pinion by said member to assist 'in the axial movementof said pinion when the latter registerswith the gear. p

7. In amechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a pinion splined thereto. and shiftable into engagement with said gear: of manual means for shifting said pinion into engagement with said gear said means including provisions 'for rotating sa1d p1n1on 1n case of collisionwith said gear, and a sprlng which is compressed during the rotation of said pinion, said spring, when released by the registering of. said p1n1on with said gear, assisting in the axial movement of success on of angular positions with respect said pinion.

8. In a mechanism for connecting a ro tatable device with a gear, the combination rotate the latter by movement of the collar; and means for moving the collar axial-- ly while preventing the collar from turnmg.

9. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a p1n1on splined thereto, and shiftable into sleeve slidable'on said shaft; a one-way clutch connecting said sleeve and pinion; collar slidable on said sleeve; a spring for imparting movement for said collar to said sleeve, said spring permitting relative axial movement of the collar. and sleeve in case the pinion collides with the gear; a pin carried by said collar and cooperating with a spiral slot said sleeve to rotate the latter by the axial movement of the collar; and means for moving the collarv axially while preventing the collar from turning.

10. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a'gear, the combination with a shaft driven by said device and a pinion splined thereto, and shiftable into engagement with said gear; of manualv means for moving said pinion axiallyinto mesh with said gear without rotating the pinion in case the pinion registers, but for positively rotating the pinion in case of col.- lisionwith'the gear to effect registration.

'11. In combination with an electric selfstarter motor, a gear, a pinion to mesh therewith, a pedal and connections for moving said pinion into and out of mesh with said gear, a roll clutch capable of rotating the pinion in one direction only and mechanism actuated by the pedal to rotate the roll clutch and the pinion.

12. In combination. a gear, a pinion axially movable into and out of mesh with said gear, means to rotate said pinion to turn said gear when said pinion is in mesh therewith. and mechanical means for positively turningv said pinion and for moving the same axially toward said gear, said mechanical means being adapted. upon successive operations, to turn said pinion into a to said gear.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK J. HARDMAN,

engagement with said gear; of a rotatable 

